Tues., June 9 and Thurs., June 11, 6 p.m and Sat., June 13, 9:30 a.m., Brucemore in Bloom, 2160 Linden Drive SE. Wander among the unique flowers and plants as the Brucemore garden staff traces the development of the formal garden from conception to the current design. Learn about Mrs. Douglas’ vision of turning Brucemore into a country estate and prominent Prairie Style landscape architect O.C. Simonds’ involvement in the process. Admission: $10/adult and free to Brucemore members. Call (319) 362-7375 for reservations or register online: www.brucemore.org

Sat., June 13, 10 a.m.-3 p.m., Linn County Master Gardener garden walk. Explore five diverse Linn County Master Gardener gardens in Cedar Rapids and Marion. Gardens will include ornamental grasses, conifers, vegetables, perennials, containers, ponds and more. Master Gardeners will be at all of the gardens to answer your horticulture-related questions. Admission: $5 per Adult; $10 per Family. Start at any of the five gardens. See: www.extension.iastate.edu/linn/news/Garden+Walk.htm

Sat., June 13, 1 p.m., Wetland dedication and walk, Indian Creek Nature Center. A half-mile walk where the Nature Center and Cargill have restored a forested wetland along the Cedar River. Free. See: http://indiancreeknaturecenter.org

Sat., June 20, 6:30-8 p.m., Summer Solstice Celebration, Prairiewoods, 120 E. Boyson Road, Hiawatha. Show appreciation for your dad and the summer season. Join us for a special Father’s Day/Summer Solstice Celebration. The evening will include poetry, prayer, festivities and end the night with a bonfire and s’mores. Free-will offering. Call (319)395-6700 and see: www.prairiewoods.org

Tues., June 23, 6 p.m., Summer Landscape Hike, Brucemore, 2160 Linden Drive SE, Cedar Rapids. Welcome in summer by joining the Brucemore gardeners on a 90-minute hike that will emphasize the spirit of summer through the sights and sounds of the Brucemore estate. Experience the vivid colors of the formal gardens in full bloom, the lush rose bushes, and the fruits of the orchard while listening to stories of the Brucemore families. Admission is $10.00 per person and $7 per Brucemore member. Registration required. Space is limited, call (319) 362-7375 or register online: www.brucemore.org

Thurs., June 25, 7 p.m., Backyard Composting, Meeting Room A of the Iowa City Public Library, 123 S. Linn St. Learn about converting yard and kitchen waste into valuable soil for your yard and garden. Presented by Risa Dotson Eicke, Master Gardener Intern. Information on ECO Iowa City compost bin subsidy will also be available. ECO Iowa City is a grant-funded initiative to improve environmental sustainability in Iowa City. Call (319) 887-6004.

Sat., June 27, 9 a.m. and 11 a.m., ECO Iowa City Landfill and Compost Facility tour, 3900 Hebl Ave. SW. Learn about how compost is made on a large scale, the environmental benefits of composting as a waste reduction tool and how you can use compost to improve your yard or gardens. Parking is limited. Register by calling the Library Reference Desk at (319)356 -5200, option 5.

Sun., June 28, 2 p.m., Cedar Rapids screening of “Mad City Chickens,” a sometimes serious, sometimes whimsical look at the people who keep urban chickens in their backyards; 79-minute movie followed by discussion, Indian Creek Nature Center, 6665 Otis Rd. SE. Admission by donation. For more info: www.tarazod.com/filmsmadchicks.html

Following are Eastern Iowa gardening events scheduled during June. If your group has an activity not listed, please add information about the event in a comment below, or send an email to: Cindy.Hadish@gazcomm.com

Fri. June 6 – National Garden Fitness Day –get off the treadmill and into the garden. Watch the Homegrown blog for tips on this day!

Sat. June 7, 9:30 a.m., – Brucemore in Bloom – also June 14, 21, and 28 – at Brucemore, 2160 Linden Dr. SE, Cedar Rapids. Wander among the unique flowers and plants as the Brucemore garden staff traces the development of the formal garden from conception to the current design. Admission: $10/adult and free to Brucemore members. Call (319) 362-7375 for reservations or register online.

Tues. June 10 – Fri. June 13 – Native plant identification course, hosted by the Iowa Valley RC&D Council in and around the Amana area.Robert Mohlenbrock of Biotic Consultants, Inc. will teach this intensive hands-on field course where the distinguishing characteristics of every plant encountered will be discussed. The class will visit several different types of wetland and prairie sites.The course is designed for environmental specialists, wetland scientists, agriculture consultants and other professionals, but is open to anyone interested in identifying plants native to this area. Call (319) 213-9243.Course cost is $600.

Sat. June 14, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., –Linn County Master Gardener’s garden walk, $5 for adults or $10 per family. See the Master Gardeners category on the Homegrown blog for details or go to: www.extension.iastate.edu/linn

Sat. June 14, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., –Garden Walk in Clarence. Tickets are $10 and include eight gardens, lunch and presentations by Bill Oliver and Zora Ronan ofthe Linn County Master Gardeners. With the exception of the gardens, all events take place at St. John’s United Church of Christ, 320 Ninth Ave. Clarence. Sponsored by Friends of the Zybell Library. Ticket sales begin at 8:30 a.m.

Sat. June 14, 9-10 a.m., – Plant your own herb pot with Mike Duggan Wyatt, Hy-Vee garden center, 5050 Edgewood Road NE, Cedar Rapids. Bring your lawn chair and garden gloves and listen to master gardener, Mike Duggan, as he shares his expertise regarding appropriate herbs best suited for containers and how to maintain them. You will plant your own container to take home. Containers will be available for purchase or bring your own container (up to a 12” pot). The class fee will cover soil, plants and instruction. $20.Pre-register at customer service, (319) 378-0762.

Sun. June 22, 7-10 p.m.,–Indian Creek Nature Center, 6665 Otis Rd. SE, Cedar Rapids,“Nature Rocks – The Year of the River” second annual green benefit for the Indian Creek Nature Center & SPT Theatre Company. Features live music concert by SPT; Wine from Cedar Ridge Vineyards;lessons about conservation, recycling, sustainability and our natural waterways. Families are encouraged to bring food, beverages and lawn chairs. Tickets are $25 for adults; children 12 and under are free. For more information or to purchase tickets, call the Indian Creek Nature Center at (319) 362-0664.

Sun. June 29, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.,– Project GREEN Garden Tour, Iowa City, $5 for adults; children 16 and under are free. Includes five gardens in Iowa City. See www.projectgreen.org for more information.